Circular linking machine



Feb. 4, 1964 E. MULLER 3,120,203

CIRCULAR LINKING MACHINE Filed Aug. 17, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 0v VEA/ 779E [la/Mk0 mime/e 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 17, 1960 FIGZ INVENTOR.

ERHARD MULLER A TTORNEYS FIG.4

United States Patent 3,126,263 CIRCULAR L IKHNG MACHINE Erhmd Miifler, Kempten, Aligau, Germany, assignor to Xaver Fendt 8; Co., Maschinenuud Schlepperfahrik, Marl-ztoherdorf, Aiigau, Germany Filed Aug. 17, 19643, Ser. No. 50,221 Claims priority, application Germany Sept. 10, 1959 4 Claims. (Cl. 112-27) The present invention relates to improvements in circular linking machines.

In machines of this type, in which the section ring progresses continuously and in which the sewing needle cooperates with a looper or with a looper and a stitcher in order to produce the looping, the work can be carried out properly only if the material is transferred in proper mesh formation so that in linking each mesh will be caught by the sewing needle. This transferring requires trained operators and such accurate working that within a certain time only a certain number of meshes may be transferred.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a circular linking machine in which this work may also be carried out by untrained labor. For attaining this object, it was the basic concept of the present invention that such linking machines may be operated by untrained labor if the material to be looped could be fixed on the machine very quickly and simply by transferring the same wildly and not in proper mesh formation, and if it were possible in looping to catch each mesh properly which has been missed by such wild transferring. It is therefore necessary to insure that any row of meshes which contains a mesh which has been missed will be prevented from running.

In order to attain these objects, the present invention provides the loop-forming place of the circular linking machine not merely with one but with at least two sewing needles.

It is also possible according to the invention to reduce the rotational speed of the section ring which cooperates with two sewing needles relative to the peripheral speed of a section ring which cooperates with only one sewing needle. The sewing needles should then be guided so as to plunge into the material at a plane which is located above and at the smallest possible distance from the plane passing through the highest points of the section needles, that is, at a plane which is located about one to two rows of meshes above the section ring. In this event it is advisable to drive the section ring in such a manner that its movement per each stitch of a sewing needle is equal to approximately two-thirds of the width between two adjacent section needles. It is thereby possible to attain that not only each mesh which is disposed on a section needle but also a mesh which has been missed by the wild transferring will be caught by two successive insertions of the sewing needles between two adjacent section needles.

It is, however, also desirable to be able to increase the operating speed of the linking machine, This may be attained in a known manner by providing the circular linking machine with two linking positions in association with each sewing needle. Thus, if a circular linking machine is provided with two sewing needles which are disposed at a relatively great distance from each other, for example, diametrically opposite each other, and which are mounted so as to permit this distance to be changed, two operators may be placed on such a circular linking machine without danger that the working of one will interfere with the working of the other even though pieces are being worked on which allow a relatively short time for transferring. It is, however, diificult to find sufiicient space for accommodating the drive for both work places, not to speak of the fact that the transferring rate at both 3,120,203 Patented Feb. 4, 1964 ice places must be practically equal. It is therefore possible to use only such operators on the same machine which can work at practically the same speed.

In order to avoid these disadvantages the present invention further provides the loop forming place of the circular linking machine with two sewing needles in such a manner that the distance between them will be equal to the distance between two adjacent section needles. If the rotational speed of the section ring which cooperates with two sewing needles is made twice as great as the rotational speed of a section ring which is associated with only one sewing needle, and if the sewing needles are guided in such a manner, which is known as such, that they engage into the grooves of the section needles, i.e., that they engage into the hollow spaces of the section needles provided with a V-shaped cross section the effective operating speed of such a circular linking machine will be doubled at a normal needle speed. This has the important advantage that the speed of movement of the linking elements does not have to be increased. If this were required, difficulties would arise because of the inertia forces which would then be arising. The two sewing needles which are secured to the head of the needle rod of the circular linking machine at a distance equal to the distance between two adjacent section needles will then plunge into the center of this groove and cooperate with the other linking elements in the conventional manner. Thus, not only the speed of the continuously progressive movement of the section ring but also that of the swiveling movement of the sewing needles will be doubled with the result that, although the speed of the sewing needles of the machine remains the same, the loops will be produced at twice the speed. This singlethread looping has the further advantage of being elastic and of affording greater safety against coming apart when the thread tears, similarly to a two-thread looping, since the two linking loops are connected to each other in superposition and so as to hold each other.

These objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will also be apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof which is to be read with reference to the accompanying drawing which shows for purposes of illustration only, one embodiment, and wherein:

FZGURE 1 is a partial perspective view of the parts of a circular linking machine in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the circular linking machine and its support structure;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the machine of FIG- URE 2, and

FiGURE 4 is an illustrati n of the operation of the machine showing four steps a-d therein Referring now to the drawing, wherein like reference numerals are used to designate throughout the various views like parts of the circular linking machine in accordance with the present invention, reference numeral ill (FIGURES 2 and 3) designates a machine housing for a circular linking machine in accordance with the present invention provided with lateral pedestal surfaces. The motor 11 of any suitable construction which drives the movable parts of the circular linking machine is operatively connected with the parts thereof. A pedestal 12 provided with a foot switch 13 of any conventional construction supports the circular linking machine whereby the switch 13 controls the turning on and turning ofi of the movable parts of the linking machine. The section needles 1 of the circular linking machine (FIGURE 1) are operatively associated with two sewing needles 2 and 3 which extend and are guided parallel to each other in such a position that they will plunge into the material to be linked at a plane above and at the closest possible ring cup at 9. The annular arrangement of the section needles 1 and the correlation of the sewing needles 2 and 3, looper 6 and stitcher 7 are conventional and therefore are not illustrated in detail. Since the two sewing needles 2 and 3 are placed relatively close together, namely, at

V a distance apart equal to the spacing between two section needles 1, the two loops formed by the sewing needles will be picked up by a single looper 6.

The arrangement of the presentldevice makes it possible that each loop located above a section needle 1, as

7 well as a loop missed by the random piercing and located between two section needles, is picked up by one of the sewing needles 2 and 3. Since the section ring 9 is preferably driven at such a speed that its movement per stitch of a sewing needle is equal to approximately /a of the width S (FIGURE 4) between two adjacent section needles each loop will be picked up because during three turns of the main shaft, or three stitches of the double needle, respectively, one stitch each of a needle is accomplished above two adjacent needles 1 and two stitches between the-two section needles.

FIGURES 4a through 4d illustrate the different posi- A tions of the sewing and the section needles, as well as the stitches, during movement of the section ring. The sewing'needles 2 and 3 in FIGURE 4a illustrates the first stitch. The needles in this position pick up loops which are located at a short distance above those loops picked up by section needles 1. This distance is preferably one or two meshes above the upper edge of. the section needls 1. When the running knots of the first stitches 2a and 3a have been formed in the conventional manner the section ring and needles 1 will advance and the sewing needles 2 and 3 will enter loops adjacent to those picked up by the first stitch. FIGURE 4b illustrates the second position. Note the advance of the section ring .is equal to a distance approximately /3 of the distances between two immediately adjacent section needles. In order to demonstrate this movement, stitches 2a and 3a are indicated in FIGURE 4b.

FIGURE 4b clearly illustrates that. the loops which were picked up by'the first stitch have moved with the section needles 1. The sewing needles now pick up loops which were previously not picked up. FIGURE 40 illustrates a third movement of the section ring and needles. 1. Stitches 2a, 3a and 3b are indicated to illustrate the movement of the section needles 1 and material being stitched relative to the sewing needles 2 and 3. FIGURE 4d illustrates the location of the loops after three stitches.- The sewing needles 2 and 3 are again placed over two section needles 1 in this latter position.

During the above-described cycle illustrated by FIG- URES 4a through 4:! six needle stitches '(stitches 2a, 3a, 3b and 3c are illustrated in FIGURE 4d) were accomplished-two by the sewing needles at each movement. Therefore, all loops located between two section needles will be picked up by the sewing needles and form appro:

priate running knots with the result that the runs in the material will be prevented even though the material stitched is pierced at random.

7 Although my invention has been illustrated and de-, scribed with reference to the preferred embodiment there'- of, I wish to have it understood that it is in no way limited to the details of such embodiment, but is capable of nu- 4 merous modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus fully disclosed my invention, what I claim is' as to pass through the material to be linked in a substantially horizontal plane above and in close proximity to the horizontal plane passing through the highest points of said section needles.

2. A circular linking machine as defined in claim 1, wherein said sewing needles are spaced from each other at a distance essentially equal to the. distance between adjacent section needles, and wherein said means moving said section ring moves said ring per each stitch of a sewing needle a distance equal to substantially /2, of the distance between two adjacent section needles whereby essentially all loops located between adjacent section needles will be picked up by the sewing needles and form appropriate knots to thereby prevent runs in the material to be linked.

3. In a circular linking machine having a section ring, a plurality of section needles secured to said ring about the periphery thereof adapted to receive the material to be linked, means for moving said section ring in a continuously rotary movement, and loop-forming means including a looper and a stitcher, the improvement comprising at least two sewing needles associated with. said section ring'and said looper and stitcher at said loop forming means for producing loops thereat, and means for sequentially advancing and retracting said needles simultaneously through the material to be linked, and. means for guiding said sewing needles so as to pass through the material to be linked in a substantially horizontal plane above and in close proximity to the horizontal plane passing through the highest points of said section needla, said means for moving. said section ring moving said ring per each stitch of a sewing needle a distance less than the distance between two adjacent section needles whereby. essentially all loops located between adjacent section. needles will be picked up by the sewing needles and form appropriate knots to thereby prevent runs in the material to be linked.

4. A circular linking machine as defined in claim 3, wherein said means for moving said section ring moves said section ring after each stitch of a sewing needle a distance equal to substantially two-thirds of the distance between two adjacent section needles.

7 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1. In a circular linking machine having a section ring, 

1. IN A CIRCULAR LINKING MACHINE HAVING A SECTION RING, A PLURALITY OF SECTION NEEDLES SECURED TO SAID RING ABOUT THE PERIPHERY THEREOF ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THE MATERIAL TO BE LINKED, MEANS FOR MOVING SAID SECTION RING IN A CONTINUOUS ROTARY MOVEMENT, A LOOPER, AND A STITCHER, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING AT LEAST TWO SEWING NEEDLES OPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID SECTION RING AND SAID LOOPER AND STITCHER AT EACH LOOP FORMING POSITION OF SAID MACHINE FOR PRODUCING LOOPS THEREAT, MEANS FOR SEQUENTIALLY ADVANCING AND RETRACTING SAID NEEDLES SIMULTANEOUSLY THROUGH THE MATERIAL TO BE LINKED FROM THE SAME SIDE THEREOF, AND MEANS FOR GUIDING SAID SEWING NEEDLES SO AS TO PASS THROUGH THE MATERIAL TO BE LINKED IN A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL PLANE ABOVE AND IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE HORIZONTAL PLANE PASSING THROUGH THE HIGHEST POINTS OF SAID SECTION NEEDLES. 